Mortal vs Ghost
by Firesidetalker
Summary: A story of a greedy man, who visits the Haunted Mansion and ends up becoming the 1,000th ghost!


**Mortal vs. Ghost**

By Matt Bennett

It was a dark night in Florida, when a young man came upon the gate to an old mansion. This mans name was Robert Gregory, and he was a rich and greedy man. The reason he was at the old mansion on Liberty Square, was because he got in a bet for $100 dollars to stay at that mansion. It was now 11:00, the moon was full, and half covered by clouds. Robert got to the front door.

"This place isn't that bad, I could live here!"

What he didn't know was that the mansion was the Haunted Mansion, owned by George Gracey. It held 999 ghosts, and was haunted top to bottom. He opened the door, and walked in. The first thing he saw was an old picture, on the wall, of a dressed up young man.

"I wonder who that is. It's probably the ghost, woo, it's going to get me! Ha!"

Robert walked on. He had to find a place to sleep for the night. He went upstairs looking for a bedroom. When he got up there he found a corridor of doors. Robert went in the first door, and found an old, dust covered room.

"Yuck! Who would live here! Oh well, I am getting a $100 for it."

He put his stuff down and decided to explore the mansion. It was now 11:50; Robert went back downstairs and into a library. Everything was dust covered and the only thing there was books and a few busts. He got bored and left the room. He walked back, past the old picture, when he noticed it looked different. The young man was old now! Robert, being Mr. Brave, ignored it and walked back upstairs. He found an old clock, but instead of 12 numbers it had 13! The clock said two minutes till midnight. Robert interested by the 13 stayed and watched the clock. Then the hand reached 12. Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, dong! It was now midnight; Robert decided to explore more, when he heard a loud scream! Robert surprised by the sound jumped, and ran down the hall. He found another door, opened it, and ran up more stairs. He got to the attic and found a dead man hanging from the rafters! Robert was so scared he ran back to his room.

"Ok, Robert calm down it was just a trick those guys played on you, calm down."

After he rested a while he went back out of his room, and down the stairs. The picture was now a skeleton! Robert still believing it was a trick his friends were playing, he ignored it. He went into a room, were a crystal ball was sitting on a table. The ball filled with smoke and a face appeared!

"You sir are a brave man, you come in here for money and have not gotten scared by anything yet."

"Yeah why would I be, I know your just one of my friends!"

"Could your friends do this?"

All of a sudden everything in the room started to float, and spin around the table! Robert, not wanting to get hit, left the room. He went back upstairs to see if he could find his friends. He walked down the hall and noticed something funny. He turned his head to find a floating candle down the other hall! Now getting a little scared ran further down the hall. He stopped to rest, when he heard extremely load organ music coming from downstairs! He ran down there to catch his friend. He ran in the room and looked up to see a whole lot of ghost dancing to the music! It was like a party, there was a table set for food! Now figuring out that it wasn't his friends, Robert ran back to his room. He got in and fell on the bed.

"Wow! This place is haunted!"

Then a voice in the room said.

"You found that out yourself, eh?"

Robert turned his head to find a young man sitting in a chair next to his bed.

"Hello Robert, how are you today?"

"Who are you, and how do you know my name?"

"I am Mr. Gracey, the guy you saw on the rafters. As for your name, I have to keep that secret."

"Well get out of here, I only have to sleep till morning, and then I can get out of this crazy house!"

"To get $100!"

"How do you know that?"

"I must keep it secret. Goodnight Robert."

The ghost left through the wall. Robert tried to sleep, but it was hard to with all that organ music. He finally dozed off.

Robert woke up to sunlight coming through the window. It was morning; he could get out of the house now! He packed his stuff and ran to the door. He opened it up, and before he left, he heard a voice say.

"You will regret coming here only for money you greedy fool!"

The sound of that made Robert run away from the house even faster! He was glad to get back to his own house. He went in and put down his stuff, then left for work.

He got there right on time. He went to his friend Christopher and asked for the money.

"Wow! You are a brave man. Was the house really haunted?"

"Yes, very haunted, now where's my money?"

"Here you go $100."

Robert worked the rest of the day, until 8:00. He left saying goodbye to everyone, picked up his briefcase and walked out the door. He ate dinner at a fancy restaurant, and used his $100. When he got out it was 11:50, he stayed longer than he wanted! He walked quickly back to his house, about a mile away. It had stormed last night and the river near his house was high. Walking at a quick pace across the long bridge, he heard the big town clock hit 12. Ding, ding, ding. Robert started to feel a little awkward. Ding, ding, ding. He picked up his pace. Ding, ding, ding. He was at a run now. Ding, ding, dong. A big wind blew across the bridge. The briefcase Robert was holding got caught in the wind. Robert, not wanting to lose it, held on to the briefcase. Another gust blew, and the briefcase and Robert fell in the rushing water.

Robert woke up and the first thing he saw was dust. He looked around and found out where he was. The Haunted Mansion! The ghost he talked to the other night was sitting in the same spot.

"Welcome Robert, I tried to warn you of this but you would not listen."

"Why am I back here?"

"You died Robert, we took you in. I told you last night you would regret coming here for money, and so I killed you."

"What?!"

"Yes you are ghost number 1,000! This is our room to share."

"No! I'm leaving!"

Robert ran out the front door and out the gate, and found not a city, but land.

"There is nothing here!"

"Of course, you are now in the dead world. All ghost come here when they die!"

"You mean I'm stuck here!"

"Yes."

Robert ran back to the house and into the ball room. There were the people dancing! He walked in, and found everyone being friendly to him. He found Mr. Gracey, and said.

"I'm sorry for being a jerk in my mortal life. I'm glad I'm here……Thank you."

"Your quite welcome, now come I have something to tell you."

Mr. Gracey told him the story of the mansion, and Robert learned the reason for the ghost. He was given a key to his room, and a job to work. His job was to keep track of the ghost and what they do. He had to carry around a list of ghost and go to each ghost and asking if everything was ok and if they wanted any changes to their afterlife in the mansion.

Robert lived on as a ghost, forgetting the greediness of his mortal self, and lived a good afterlife as a ghost. He is now seen, or heard knocking on all the doors in the mansion. So if you ever visit the mansion and see the door knockers moving you know who it is! The Haunted Mansion is now known as the house with 1,000 ghosts!

The End


End file.
